these are my people

Today has been a long but good day. I had class from 8-11 (or more like 10:30). My awesome teacher for Intl. Political Economy offered to pay for my coffee if I went to buy one for him, so I accepted, and am I SURE glad I did because the coffee was GREAT! He also told us some great spots to check out in Nicaragua if/when we go over Thanksgiving break!

I hung out at school for a while after class to catch up on some e-mails and do some internship work. We are ALMOST FINISHED with the hospital's strategic plan. Reviewing the documents we have completed gives me a feeling of accomplishment. We have come a long way and have gotten a lot done! It will be nice to have a tangible finished project from this internship when I leave Costa Rica.

I had lunch with my family at home - some kind of pasta with chicken and sausage mixed in. DELICIOUS, of course. I had the largest helping of anyone. I know that mommy isn't surprised!

I wanted to nap this afternoon, but there were some younger guys working on the electricity in my house and in my room so I couldn't really do that. My host mother called me back to her room after lunch. My aunt had stopped by to show us a home video from 1995. My host family and their extended family was in it, and it was interesting to see all of them - almost 15 years ago! It was special to share that moment with them, watching the video and laughing and talking about how much things and people have changed since then.

I had a meeting with Claudia at school around 2 pm to review some stuff from our workshop at the hospital yesterday. We finished around 3:30, and I went back to my house to have coffee and get some money. I had coffee and toast with my sister and her sweet friend. Around 4:30 I met SC to go do some other Halloween shopping. We shopped the other day - she is going to be a cute little devilish thing with red and black things, and I am going as a rasta. Should be interesting! I had considered going as Santa Claus, or a Christmas tree, or something Christmasy since all the decorations and such are out everywhere here now and things for a costume would be easy to find, but I decided to go with the rasta. USAC has a party on Friday afternoon for all the students from all three programs (San Ramon, Heredia, Puntarenas) here at a ranch in San Ramon. Should be a fun time!

I found a green shirt to match the yellow skirt I bought the other day. I picked up a few other random things I needed too. When I bought the shirt, the girls at the register were fascinated with my first name, and so I told them what it was and how it is pronounced here and in the United States (here the o has more of a long sound, so for the pronunciations to be the same, my name really should be spelled "Tania" here in Costa Rica). They were so kind and wanted to talk about my name - they said they had never heard that name before and that it was pretty. I felt special! Then SC and I went to the grocery store, and I got some cereal and cafe Britt drinks (frozen capuccinos are INCREDIBLE here!!!!) and some other things I needed. A sweet gentleman who works at the mercado offered to give us a basket to hold all of our things in. He was so kind to us! After the market we went home. We took a taxi back. Our driver was a woman (first lady cabbie I've had here) who loved listening to Portuguese music. She just loved it and let us listen to it. She was so nice!

Back home I had some popcorn and Coke because I didn't want a big meal, plus my family was gone and I didn't want to make any real food. I then headed to SC's house to have a study party and I was able to get a good bit done. I think the thing I most enjoyed about today, other than the company of my Costa Rica gringo friends, was the kindness of the Costa Rican people who I came in contact with today - the man at the market, the taxi driver, all of the people in the stores that SC and I went in while shopping - everyone was so kind and helpful, and it always brings joy to my heart when people are that way to me. PURA VIDA!